ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



791 



govcriinient should set in motion this machinery 

 for the production of the desired result: 



Tlie City should provide at least 5,000 refuse 

 baskets and cans. 



The Mayor should call upon all citizens to 

 desist from thro\vin<i' waste paper and rubbish 

 in public places. 



The Police Department should post notices 

 printed in four languages — English, Yiddish, 

 Italian and German — in about 5,000 places be- 

 tween the Battery and Mount Vernon, sternly 

 forbidding the throwing of any waste paper, 

 refuse or rubbish of any kind on any street, 

 sidewalk, park or vacant lot, under penalty of 

 arrest and punishment. 



The Police Commissioner should order everv 

 policeman to become active, and remain so, in 

 the vigorous enforcement of that order. 



Ever}' adult offender should be snatched off' 

 the streets, and hustled into court. 



Every police magistrate should punish every 

 offender, and let no man off' witli a mere repri- 

 mand. 



The abominable spitting habit was complete- 

 ly broken up in this city in less than three 

 months ! The rubbish-throwing habit could be 

 broken up quite as effectually and as quickly, 

 provided the mailed fist will come to the front. 



The time to begin a drastic reform in behalf 

 of a Clean New York is NOW. \\ "p. H. 



OUR WARNING NOTICE. 



ZOOLOGICAL PARK NOTES. 



"Silver Kiny," the Polar Bear. — At last the great 

 polar liear captured a }ear ago by Mr. Paul Harney, 

 IS becoming reconcileil to captivity. He lias ceased 

 to complain about it, liis temper lias noticeably im- 

 proved, his appetite always lias been very good, and 

 liis pelage is now immaculate. In fact, su :ar as ap- 

 pearances go, he is probably as large and handsome 

 a polar bear as can be found in captivity. 



A few persons have hastily concluded that because 

 Silver King is a polar bear he is necessarily "suf- 

 fering" in his present confinement. Mentally, he 

 would of course be better satisfied with the freedom 

 of tlie ice floes of Kane Basin; but that we can not 

 provide. He has more cage-room than he utilizes for 

 exercise, a sleeping den, and a swimming pool of 

 ample proportions tor his comfort. Kven it his cage 

 were five times as large as it now is, it is doubtful 

 whether he would utilize mure than one corner of it; 

 for of all our bears, the polar exercises the least. 



A Stranye Fatality. — We were unfortunate in los- 

 ing one ol the teniale examples of the Congo sita- 

 tunga, which beautiful species of antelope is quar- 

 tered in the SmaU-Oeer House. Hearing a disturb- 

 ance, the keeper found the animal lying dead in the 

 corral, with its neck broken, 'ihe occurrence was at 

 tlie time inexplicable, owing to the absence of any- 

 thing tending to alarm the animals. 



The next da)', we were amazed to observe a near 

 repetition of the traged)'. .V male sitatunga was seen 

 to bound into his corral, strike tlie fence with great 

 violence close to tlie spot where the female fell, re- 

 bound from the wire, uut escape witli nothing more 

 than superficial lacerations. The only cause assign- 

 able for such strange actions without apparent dis- 

 turbance, was the presence of stinging insects. In- 

 vestigation disclosed the correctness of this surmise. 

 A iiest of hornets was found under the eaves of the 

 building, directly over the door leading into the cor- 

 ral, and forthwith it was destroyed. It is possible 

 tliat tlie bright colors of the sitatungas had attracted 

 and excited the insects. 



jSew Malay Tapir. — A newcomer arrived at the 

 Elepliant House on August 4. This was a female 

 Malay tapir purchased from Captain Percy Watson, 

 of the steamship "Muncaster Castle" from Chinese 

 ports and Singaj)ore. With the tapir we received a 

 lUHuber of interesting birds, and some small mam- 

 mals. From the disposition of the tapir as studied 

 while the animal was in its crate, it seemed possible 

 to put a rope about the neck of this alleged tame 

 creature, and lead it to the Elephant House. We de- 

 cided otherwise, however, and later on were thankful 

 that the newcomer had occupied lier crate until the 

 uioment of her liberation in the yard. Once liberated 

 she completely lost her head, and plunged frantically 

 in all directions, wildly pawed at the soft earth in 

 the corners of the corral, and finally made an un- 

 Micecssful attempt to climb the fence. The shrill, 

 whistling calls of our old tapirs had no quieting effect 

 ii))on her nerves. It was hours before this attack of 

 hysteria subsided; but now she is as docile as a 

 rabbit. 



